Apparatus for shunting mine cars or the like



H. BRONDER 3,305,047 APPARATUS FOR SHUNTING, MINE CARS OR THE LIKE Feb. 21, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 16, 1965 INVENTOR. HERBERT BRONDER Feb. 21, 1967 ND R' 3,305,047

APPARATUS FOR SHUNTING MINE CARS OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 16, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR HERBER 7' BRO/V051? 28 H. BRONDER 3,305,047

APPARATUS FOR SHUNTING MINE CARS OR THE LIKE Feb. 2l, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 16, 1965 INVENTOR. HERBERT 'BRONDER United States Patent 3,305,047 APPARATUS FQR SHUNTING MINE CARS OR THE LlKE Herbert Bronder, Sandvika, Norway, assignor to Ingersoll- Rand World Trade Limited, Hamilton, Bermuda, a corporation of Bermuda Filed Nov. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 508,020 Claims priority, application Norway, Feb. 11, 1965, 156,743 11 Claims. (Cl. 1878.41)

This invention relates to apparatus for shunting mine cars or the like including mine locomotives, drilling machines, and other mining equipment and has more particular reference to the provision of a new and improved apparatus of this type which raises the shunted mine car or the like to allow the passage therebelow of other mine cars or the like.

conventionally, numerous devices have been provided for vertically lifting a mine car or the like to a height sufiicient to permit the passage of other mine cars or the like below the raised mine car. These devices have been found to be particularly useful in application in a mine tunnel as they permit the shunting of the raised mine car without the necessity for switch rails or other similar equipment. All of these conventional devices, however, have been of rigid construction and fixed height, thus limiting the situations in which they could be practically employed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus of the type set forth which is adjustable in height and collapsible to a relatively compact configuration for facilitating its transportation to an operating location.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus of the type set forth which is ground supported and constructed and arranged to compensate for variations in the contour of the ground upon which it rests.

These objects, and the other objects and advantages of the invention which will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, are obtained by the provision of an apparatus for raising a mine car or the like, comp-rising a plurality of spaced, ground supported, lower supporting members and a plurality of spaced upper supporting members. The upper supporting members each project vertically above a respective one of the lower supporting members and are pivotally connected to their respective ones of the lower supporting members for vertical movement relative thereto. A motor means is operatively connected to the upper supporting members for vertically moving such relative to the lower supporting members; and a transverse connecting means connects the upper supporting members with one another. Means carried by the upper supporting members cooperate to support the mine car or the like for vertical movement with the upper supporting members during their vertical movement relative to the lower supporting members.

Referring to the drawing wherein an embodiment of invention has been shown for the purposes of illustration only:

FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention which is in position to support a mine car or the like vertically above the ground;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational end view of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational side view of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 showing such in collapsed 3,3534? Patented Feb. 21, 1967 ice position on a mine car during its transportation to an operating location.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate an apparatus designated generally at 10 which is constructed in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the apparatus 10 is in position to support a mine car 12 vertically above the ground 14 such that another mine car 16 may freely pass below the raised mine car 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the apparatus 10 is in collapsed position .and is being transported by a mine car 18 to an operating location.

The apparatus 10 comprises a pair of ground supported, vertically extending, lower supporting members 20 and 22 which are spaced a greater distance than the width of the track 24 carrying the mine cars 12, 16, and 18 and, hence, a greater distance than the width of the mine cars 12, 16, and 18. The lower supporting members 20 and 22 are each formed with an obtuse angle such that they include an end abutting the ground 14 and an end vertically above the ground 14. The end of each of the lower supporting members 20 and 22 which abuts the ground 14 is provide-d with an arcuately contoured, ground contacting shoe 26 which engages the ground 14 to facilitate pivotal movement of the lower supporting members 20 and 22 upon the ground 14.

The lower supporting members 20 and 22 are each pivotally connected intermediate their ends to one end of a supporting leg 28 by a pivot or wrist pin 30. The supporting legs 28 project from the lower supporting members 20 and 22 in opposed relationship thereto and abut the ground 14 at their free ends. An arcuately contoured, ground contacting shoe 32 is provided upon the free end of each of the supporting legs 28 for facilitating pivotable movement of the supporting legs 28 upon the ground 14. The supporting legs 28 are individually pivotable relative to their respective connected one of the lower supporting members 20 and 22 by the hydraulic motors 34 which are connected between each of the supporting legs 28 and their respective connected one of the lower supporting members 20 and 22. Thus, the apparatus 10 is supported upon the ground 14 by a four-point support formed by the ground contacting shoes 26 on the lower supporting members 20 and 22 and the ground contacting shoe 32 on the supporting legs 28. Due to the pivotable relationship between the supporting legs 23 and the lower supporting members 20 and 22, this four-point support permits the lower supporting members 20 and 22 to be individually adjusted to compensate for unevenness of the ground 14 upon which they rest.

An upper supporting member 36 is pivotally connected adjacent one of its ends to the vertically upper end of the lower supporting member 20 by a pivot or wrist pin 38 and projects vertically thereabove. The upper supporting member 36 is pivotable between a position longitudinally adjacent the lower supporting member 20 and a position longitudinally remote therefrom by a hydraulic motor 40 which is connected between the upper supporting member 36 and the lower supporting member 20. An upper supporting member 42 is, similarly, pivotally connected adjacent one of its ends to the vertically upper end of the lower supporting member 22 by a pivot or wrist pin 44 and projects vertically thereabove. The upper supporting member 42 is, similarly, pivotable between a position longitudinally adjacent the lower supporting member 22 and a position longitudinally remote therefrom by a hydraulic motor 40 which is connected between the upper supporting member 42 and the lower supporting member 22.

,the lower supporting members 20 and 22.

The upper supporting members 36 and 42 are connected by a plurality of spaced transverse connecting members 46 and 48 which extend longitudinally therebetween adjacent the pivotal connections of the upper supporting members 36 and 42 to the lower supporting members 20 and 22, respectively. The transverse connecting members 46 and 48 thus, as shown in FIG. 2, cooperate with the upper supporting members 36 and 42 to form a fork configuration and leave one end of each of the upper supporting members 36 and 42 free to carry the means provided for supporting the mine car 12.

The means provided for supporting the mine car 12 during its movement in vertically spaced relationship to the ground 14 comprises a plurality of opposing mine car supporting or engagement members 50 and S2 fixedly carried by the pivot or wrist pins 54 and 56, respectively, which are pivotally supported by the free ends of the upper supporting members 36 and 42. The engagement members 50 and 52, as will be seen from the drawings, are disposed intermediate the upper supporting members 36, 42 and adjacent the upper supporting members 42 and 36, respectively. The engagement member 50 includes a plurality of spaced supporting lugs 58 which are adapted to be located under the body 12a of the mine car 12 for supporting one side of the mine car 12 when it is disposed vertically above the ground 14. The engagement member 52 includes a plurality of spaced supporting lugs 60 which are adapted to be located under the body 12a of the mine car 12 for supporting the opposing side of the mine car when it is disposed vertically above the ground 14.

A linkage arm 62 is fixedly secured to the pivot pin 54 and pivotally connected to one end of a connecting rod 64 which is piv-otally connected at its other end to the vertically upper end of the lower supporting member 22. A linkage arm 66 is, similarly, fixedly secured to the pivot pin 56 and pivotally connected to one end of a connecting rod 68 which is pivotally connected at its other end to the vertically upper end of the lower supporting member 20. The link-age arms 62 and 66 and the connecting rods 64 and 68 ensure that the engagement members 50 and 52 are maintained substantially parallel to the ground 14 throughout the vertical movement of the upper supporting member 36 and 42 to preventing tilting of the mine car 12 during its vertical movement.

The operation of the illustrated apparatus 10 is believed to be apparent from the foregoing description. However, a brief summary of the operation of the apparatus 10 will now be given in order that the advantages and benefits provided thereby may be fully appreciated.

With the apparatus 10 in collapsed position as illustrated in FIG. 4, the upper supporting members 36 and 42 are located longitudinally adjacent the lower supporting members and 22, respectively; and the supporting legs 28 are drawn adjacent their respective connected one of Thus, the apparatus 16 forms a relatively compact structure which may be readily and simply conveyed by a mine car 18 to an operating location substantially regardless of the height of the mind tunnel in which it may be disposed.

When the apparatus 10 has been delivered to its operating location by the mine car 18, the apparatus 10 is easily and simply unloaded from the mine car 18 through the employment of the hydraulic motors 34 and 40. More specifically, the hydraulic motors 40 are extended to locate the ground contacting shoes 26 on the lower supporting members 20 and 22 in engagement with the ground 14 and raise the upper supporting members 36 and 42 above the mine car 18. Similarly, the hydraulic motors 34 are extended to locate the ground contacting shoes 32 on the supporting legs 28 in engagement with the ground 14 and complete the four-point support for the apparatus 10. Then the mine car 18 is removed, leaving the apparatus 10 in operative position relative to the track 24. After the mine car 18 has been removed, the

A. hydraulic motors 34 may be reactuated to position the lower supporting members 20 and 22 to compensate for any unevenness in the ground 14.

Thereafter, when a mine car 12 is to be vertically raised above the track 24 to permit the passage of a mine car 16 therebelow, the hydraulic motors are retracted to lower the upper supporting arms 36 and 42 to a position longitudinally adjacent the lower supporting members 2i! and 22. The mine car 12 is located such that its body 12a is above the engagement members and 52 on the upper support-ing arms 36 and 4G. The upper supporting members 36 and 42 are raised by the hydraulic motors 4% to locate the supporting lugs 58 and 60 on the engagement members 50' and S2 in engagement with opposing sides of the body 1211 of the mine car 12. Thus, the continuation of the raising of the upper supporting arms 3-6 and 42 provides a conjoined raising of the mine car 12. The extent to which the mine car 12 is raised is, of course, largely dependent on the height of the mine tunnel in which the apparatus 19 may be disposed. However, the vertical movement of the mine car 12 is continued until the mine car 12 has been sufiiciently raised to permit the mine car 16 to freely pass therebelow. The connecting rods 64 and 68 maintain the engagement members 50 and 52 substantially level throughout the vertical movement of the upper supporting members 36 and 42 to prevent the mine car 12 from tilting during its vertical movement.

The mine car 12 is lowered onto the track 24 after the mine car 16 has passed therebelow by retracting the hydraulic motors 40 such that the upper supporting members 36 and 42 are moved longitudinally adjacent the lower supporting members 20 and 22 and the supporting lugs 58 and 69 are freed of the mine car 12. Thus, the mine car 12 may be then moved from the apparatus 10. Similarly, the apparatus 10 may be employed to raise the mine car 12, other mine cars, mine locomotives, drilling machines, or other mining equipment above the track 24 as dictated by the trafiic on the track 24.

When the apparatus 10 is to be moved to another operating location, a mine car 18 is moved below the apparatus 10. The hydraulic motors 40 are retracted to raise the lower supporting members 20 and 22 from the ground 14 and lower the upper supporting members 36 and 42 until the transverse connecting members 46 and 48 are supported by the body 18a of the mine car 18. The hydraulic motors 34 are retracted to raise the supporting legs 28 from the ground 14, whereupon the apparatus 10 is completely collapsed in the mine car 18 and may be readily and simply moved to its new operating location.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a new and improved apparatus for obtaining all of the objects and advantages of my invention. It will be understood, however, that, although a preferred embodiment of the apparatus has been herein shown and described, my invention is not limited to this illustrated embodiment but includes other embodiments and variations which utilize the concepts and teachings of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An apparatus for raising a mine car or the like to permit the passage of another mine car or the like therebelow, comprising:

a plurality of lower supporting members spaced a distance greater than the width of said mine cars; a plurality of upper supporting members spaced a distance greater than the width of said mine cars;

each one of said upper supporting members being pivotally connected to a respective one of said lower supporting members for vertical movement relative thereto and bein g vertically movable above said respective one of said lower supporting members to a height greater than the height of said mine cars;

motor means operatively connected to said upper supporting members for vertically moving such relative to said lower supporting members;

transverse connecting means connecting said upper supporting members with each other; and

a mine car supporting member disposed within the space between said upper supporting members adjacent each of said upper supporting members;

said mine car supporting members each being connected to their respective adjacent upper supporting member for vertical movement therewith and being adapted to cooperate to support a mine car for vertical movement with said upper supporting members.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motor means comprises a fluid operated motor connected intermediate each one of said upper supporting members and its respective one of said lower supporting members for moving each one of said upper supporting members between a position longitudinally adjacent its respective one of said lower supporting members and a position longitudinally remote therefrom.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transverse connecting means cooperates with said upper supporting members to form a fork configuration, and said means for supporting said mine cars are carried by said upper supporting members adjacent the free ends thereof.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for maintaining said mine car substantially level throughout its vertical movement.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mine car supporting members are rotatable relative to said upper supporting members, and connecting means connect said mine car supporting members to said lower supporting members to make said mine car supporting members rotate in response to vertical movement of said upper supporting members relative to said lower supporting members to maintain said mine car substantially level throughout its vertical movement.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a supporting leg is pivotally connected to each one of said lower supporting members for vertically supporting such, and a fluid motor is connected intermediate each one of said supporting legs and its respective connected one of said lower supporting members for adjusting the vertical dispositions of said lower supporting members.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each one of said supporting legs projects from its respective connected one of said lower supporting members in opposed relationship thereto and said supporting legs cooperate with said lower supporting members to provide four-point support for said upper supporting members.

8. An apparatus for raising a mine car or the like to permit the passage of another mine car or the like therebelow, comprising:

a pair of ground supported, lower supporting members spaced a distance greater than the width of said mine cars;

a pair of upper supporting members spaced a distance greater than the width of said mine cars;

each one of said upper supporting members being pivotally connected to a respective one of said lower supporting members for vertical movement relative thereto and being vertically movable above said respective one of said lower supporting members to a height greater than the height of said mine cars;

a fluid operated motor connected intermediate each one of said upper supporting members and said respective one of said lower supporting members for vertically moving the former between a position longitudinally adjacent the latter and a position longitudinally remote from the latter;

a transverse connecting means connecting said upper supporting members with each other and cooperating with said upper supporting members to form a fork configuration;

means carried adjacent the free ends of said upper supporting members cooperating to support said mine car for vertical movement with said upper supporting; members; and

means connected to said mine car supporting means for causing said mine car supporting means to maintain said mine car substantially level throughout its vertical movement.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means for supporting said mine car or the like are rotatable relative to said upper supporting members, and connecting rods connect said means to said lower supporting members to make said means rotate in response to vertical movement of said upper supporting members relative to said lower supporting members to maintain said mine car substantially level throughout its vertical movement.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a supporting leg is pivotally connected to each one of said lower supporting members for vertically supporting such, and a fluid motor is connected intermediate each one of said supporting legs and its respective connected one of said lower supporting members for individually adjusting the vertical dispositions of said lower supporting members.

11. An apapratus according to claim 10, wherein each one of said supporting legs projects from its respective connected one of said lower supporting members in opposing relationship thereto and said supporting legs cooperate wtih said lower supporting members to provide four-point support for said upper supporting members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,820,555 1/1958 Lessmann 2l4l40 3,140,787 7/1964 Clar 2l4140 3,219,199 11/1965 Lagerstrom EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner. H. C; HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR RAISING A MINE CAR OR THE LIKE TO PERMIT THE PASSAGE OF ANOTHER MINE CAR OR THE LIKE THEREBELOW, COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF LOWER SUPPORTING MEMBERS SPACED A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID MINE CARS; A PLURALITY OF UPPER SUPPORTING MEMBERS SPACED A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID MINE CARS; EACH ONE OF SAID UPPER SUPPORTING MEMBERS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID LOWER SUPPORTING MEMBERS FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO AND BEING VERTICALLY MOVABLE ABOVE SAID RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID LOWER SUPPORTING MEMBERS TO A HEIGHT GREATER THAN THE HEIGHT OF SAID MINE CARS; MOTOR MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID UPPER SUPPORTING MEMBERS FOR VERTICALLY MOVING SUCH RELATIVE TO SAID LOWER SUPPORTING MEMBERS; TRANSVERSE CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID UPPER SUPPORTING MEMBERS WITH EACH OTHER; AND A MINE CAR SUPPORTING MEMBER DISPOSED WITHIN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID UPPER SUPPORTING MEMBERS ADJACENT EACH OF SAID UPPER SUPPORTING MEMBERS; SAID MINE CAR SUPPORTING MEMBERS EACH BEING CONNECTED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE ADJACENT UPPER SUPPORTING MEMBER FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND BEING ADAPTED TO COOPERATE TO SUPPORT A MINE CAR FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT WITH SAID UPPER SUPPORTING MEMBERS. 